San Francisco F3F Practice Thread

There are a few local sloping enthusiasts that are learning and would like to practice F3F and so I'm creating this thread to keep those interested in the days we could practice F3F in San Francisco. One of my biggest obstacles for getting better at F3F is putting in the requisite practice time because while I find racing exciting in a group setting I find practicing by myself boring. Let's get better together and have some fun! We will help each other keep track of times and learn lines so we can perform better for race day. Hopefully an experienced person will join in so it won't be the blind leading the blind. The emphasis will be on fun while trying to get better so bring whatever airplane you have to try it out.

The first potential practice day is May 13th, Saturday and the potential site will be Thorton or Davenport because the ISR is May 20/21 and it would be good to get some time in flying at that site. We will pick site by Thursday and unless wind forecast dramatically changes that will be where we go.

Let me know what you guys think so that we can get the most out of this. One of the things I will try and bring is some markers to help identify the 25 and 50 meter marks so we can have some visual cue where we are at, kind of when beginner racers follow cones for where they should be turning/braking on the race track.

I'm in. I just finished my first attempt at making some ballast for my (new to me) old Secret. I'm not sure how much I should load into it.... the wings have been repaired a few times. I guess there is only one way to find out! Actually this is all new to me. New to ballast, new to six servos, flaps, crow, radio programming, etc. The F3F folks that I have met have been amazing with their help, advice, and positive attitude. I'll be attempting ISR sportsman class. I need practice!

Great Bill, I think it will be good for us to get some stick time out there. I'm going to invite a few other people out there too. The wind is forecasted to be good and I believe the site works from W to NW.

So forecast hasn't changed dramatically though the wind direction looks better at Thorton for sure. I asked a local Davenport flyer and he said you really have to check conditions the night before but it looks OK, propably a bit too NW. Apparently straight in is 265 degrees and works to 310 degrees. Bill do you have a preference?

Well I put a bunch of lead into the existing ballast tube for Salangane but it's horrible. I get 9 oz only.. I need to make a new tube and use the lead from the Extreme. The Extreme has adequate ballast so I will bring it to the ISR just in case.

So I just did the calcs. My airplane weighs about 58 oz and my max weight for wing area is 89.7 oz. So I have to pack 2lbs into the airframe to reach the limit. Biggest problem with the Salangane is even if I put the weight into it I seriously doubt it will last the event. So I'm not sure what I want to do. I also don't want to risk my Extreme.